Royal Visit: William And Kate Tour Looking For Downtime

CP

Flickr: Rukia13

THE CANADIAN PRESS -- LONDON - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge plan to keep a low profile for the rest of the year as they adapt to married life, palace officials said Tuesday.

Prince William and his bride Catherine -- who returned to Britain Monday after a whirlwind trip to Canada and the U.S. -- now wanted to "go under the radar" and settle down in their North Wales home, St. James's Palace said.

Apart from enjoying some quality time together away from the limelight, the couple also did not want to overshadow Queen Elizabeth II as she approaches her Diamond Jubilee next year, the palace said.

"They are very conscious to make sure that the run-up to 2012 is the queen's year. She quite rightly should be in spotlight," a spokesman said on the customary condition of anonymity.

"They have the rest of their lives to be public figures and working hard on behalf of the Queen and want to keep things on a level and enjoy their marriage," he added.

William also has to return to his work as a Royal Air Force Search and Rescue helicopter pilot in order to qualify for a captaincy, while his wife will spend her time planning which good causes she wants to become involved with and learning about her husband's charitable interests.

The couple married on April 29 in London's Westminster Abbey.

The palace spokesman said that the queen and her husband, Prince Philip, were supportive of the couple's plans to keep a low profile for the next few months.

The queen and her husband also spent their early married years living a quiet life in Malta, where Philip was based as a Royal Navy officer.